


Catharsis

by Anemoso



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, because all i can write are cliches, pining and sharing a bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 05:39:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12006219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anemoso/pseuds/Anemoso
Summary: After days of traveling, Genji and Zenyatta finally have a chance to rest. Genji takes some time to reflect.





	Catharsis

**Author's Note:**

> "hey, anemoso, don't you have something else you should be updating?"  
> me, holding a pile of unfinished oneshots and aus: what 
> 
> it's 4am, im so tired, and the only thing keeping me awake is TAZ and the coffee i drank 10 hours ago. take this dumb thing

Genji was so tired, practically flopping onto the bed the second he got in range of it. They had been traveling for days now, only stopping for a few hours at a time to recharge. The area was not the most friendly to omnics- or those perceived to be omnics- so staying in one place for too long was risky. It had only been once they got to the city that they found a place that accepted omnics overnight. 

As angry as it made him to be rejected by hotel after hotel for being different, he refused to make a scene with Zenyatta with him. For one, Zenyatta was too kind and accepting, and wouldn't approve of his tired student punching an anti omnic hotel owner, and for two, Zenyatta could probably deliver a much stronger punch than Genji could anyway. 

But finally, finally they'd found somewhere to settle for the night, and Genji was all for milking this for all it was worth. 

“Master, are you sure we need to get up early tomorrow? We have enough money for at least a few days here,” he said, tried to make it sound like he wasn't pleading. 

“You are correct Genji, which is why I would like to stay around and tour the area a little. I saw the most beautiful tree on the way in, perfect for early morning meditation.” 

Genji groaned, “Can't it be perfect for mid morning meditation?” 

Zenyatta hummed, tapped his finger against his chin as if he were actually thinking about it. “I am unsure, I feel the pond in the park we walked through would be much better for the mid morning.” 

“Master, please,” Genji gave up all pretense and whined. He shoved his face into the pillows in protest, and heard Zenyatta laugh at his theatrics. 

“If you truly wish, I will let you sleep in tomorrow, my student.” 

He pouted into the pillow. On the one hand, he'd love to sleep away the entire morning like he used to. He remembered all the days wasted away in bed, either alone or with a lover- but those days had long since passed. 

On the other hand, he wished to be with Zenyatta. Over the years they had spent together Genji had become enraptured with the omnic, hanging onto every word and bit of wisdom the monk had given. They had spent almost all their time together, even before they began traveling. Now, they were with each other every hour of every day, and Genji wouldn't change it for the world. 

Sometime within the years they had spent in each other's presence, Genji had fallen in love. He'd kept it a secret, unsure for a while if it was just overwhelming platonic feelings or what. Eventually he just gave up and gave in, his master had been the best thing to happen to him in many years, why should he deny himself that? Zenyatta always told him not to deny himself pleasure as a punishment for his former behavior, so he wouldn't. 

But accepting those feelings and acting on them were… two very different things. 

Genji promised himself, one day he would tell Zenyatta. He told himself it wouldn't matter if his master didn't feel the same, Genji would not mind if their relationship did not change. 

He was, of course, also completely lying to himself. He wanted so badly, craved the kind of physicality and connection he'd heard in love stories. The kind he'd never truly felt with anyone, and only wanted to feel with Zenyatta. 

He was a coward, he accepted this. But he couldn't even think of what would happen if Zenyatta rejected him. 

He heard the omnic shuffling, wondering what he could be up to, until the blanket was suddenly ripped out from underneath him. 

“Wha- hey!” He turned around, only to get a face full of blanket. 

“Oh, I'm sorry. I assumed you had fallen asleep already, I didn't want you to get cold in the middle of the night.” An absolute lie, Zenyatta’s lights flickered in amusement. 

Genji, in a move of absolute maturity, stuck his tongue out at the omnic before pulling the covers more tightly around him. Zenyatta turned out the lights in the room before settling on the floor, preparing to go into recharge mode. 

“Sleep well, my student.” 

“Goodnight, master.” 

/// 

The nightmare wasn't a bad one, a vague collection of blight and gore that Genji couldn't keep up with. It wasn't enough to wake up him up with a start, but it was enough that he awoke in the middle of the night with a sense of dread. 

He rose slowly, taking stock of the room. Zenyatta, still recharging on the floor. A few lamps, a door to the bathroom, a closed window hidden behind thick curtains, a door to the hallway. No one but him and Zenyatta, nothing threatening. 

He lie back, hoping sleep would come again quickly now that any sense of dread was gone, but it was never that ease. His unease did not let up, the bed felt cold around him. 

“Are you alright, Genji?” 

He nearly jumped at his master's voice, but contained it. He should have expected Zenyatta to know he was awake, even in a deep recharge. His master was always tuned into him, feeling any change in his body or any shift in harmony or discord around him faster than he could himself.

“No, but it was not a bad nightmare. Just… unsettling.” He knew better than to lie or pretend he was fine, doing so would only draw this out longer, and he was quite keen on going back to sleep in an actual bed for once. 

“Ah, that is fortunate at the very least. Was there anything in particular that woke you?” He was getting up now, finishing recharge for the moment. 

Genji stuttered a moment, “Oh, uh, you didn't need to move. I'm sure it'll pass.” 

But Zenyatta wouldn't hear it, “Nonsense, I can recharge anytime, you need your sleep.” He plucked one of his mala, now shining with harmony, and guided it towards Genji. “Now, what is bothering you?” 

He sighed, sinking back into the bed. He tried to focus on the dream, what happened and what woke him up, but it was hazy and vague in his mind. “I'm really unsure, honestly. I know there was a lot of blood and bodies, but why I cannot tell you.” He hummed, “It was not that bad, really. It felt a lot like the kinds of nightmares I would get before the… uh…” He hesitated to call what happened to him an accident, but wasn't comfortable calling it his murder either. 

“And what did you do when these dreams would come to you before?” 

Genji thought for a moment, wondered if he should reply with the truth or not. He tried for a little white lie, “Well, I just kind of got up and walked around before going to sleep again.” 

Zenyatta looked at him, silent. Genji shifted a bit. “Are you sure that is all?” Damn, called out. One day he swore he'd ask the omnic how he always knew. 

Genji sighed. “Well, no. I always found it comforting to have someone else there. When I was younger, I'd just go to my parents or brothers room. When I got older I'd go out, find anyone willing to help… distract me, I guess.” He coughed, not particularly wanting to talk much about his ‘playboy’ years to the monk. 

“Ah, I understand,” he said, and Genji wondered if he was imagining that his voice sounded a bit strained.

He closed his eyes, the orb of harmony doing wonders for replacing the unease with warmth. Warmth that was reminding him how tired he was and how little sleep he'd gotten lately. He felt Zenyatta lay down besides him. 

That made his eyes open again, “Zenyatta?” 

Arms guided him onto his side, pulled him closer to the monk. The warmth he felt from the harmony orb felt amplified with Zenyatta surrounding him. “This may not be what you did before, but I hope it may still be as useful.” 

Genji was speechless, face tucked into his master's neck and hands pressed against his chest. He slowly moves, winding his arms around the omnic’s back, pressing in tighter. He felt … comfortable, safe, _loved._

“Is this ok, Genji?” Zenyatta’s deep voice was quiet, shy. 

He breathed out, not realizing he had even been holding it. 

“It's wonderful, master.” 

He fell asleep, entangled completely with his master, and with a niggling feeling like maybe, Zenyatta felt something towards him too. 

///

The next morning, when Zenyatta tried to get up, he took one look at Genji’s peaceful expression and lost. 

When he tried again a few hours later, Genji tightened around him and whined about sleeping even longer, and that is how they stayed until well into the afternoon.


End file.
